Friday, February 28, 2014

Forced Into a Corner

Ever
since I learned about the heinous cleaver attack on Ming Pao ex-Editor Kevin
Lau, there’s been this tight knot weighing down on my heart. Prior to this
incident, I had been trying to detach myself little by little from engaging in
writing or speaking about current affairs in Hong Kong due to a daily-deepening
feeling of powerlessness about my hometown’s fast deterioration from a
sophisticated international metropolis into a crass, soulless, xenophobic and
parochial Chinese city. What’s more troubling is the fact that the sea change
has come by involuntarily from Hong Kongers’ standpoint. It has come in the
form of more and more oppressive tactics, either overtly or deviously, being
thrust down Hong Kong’s throat by the Central Government and the submissive
puppet-like Leung Chun Ying administration.

In
recent days, the noose-tightening seems to be reaching an apex.

First
there was the HKTV licensing controversy. Up to now, the Leung government still
hasn’t come up with a shred of logical reason behind its decision not to grant
HKTV, whose boss Ricky Wong is known for his liberal views, the free-to-air TV
license. Meanwhile, the managing director of government’s consultant firm lost
her job for shining a not-so-friendly light on Leung Chun Ying’s public
statement. Was it a coincidence or was it a high-handed maneuver behind the
scene? It’s anyone’s guess.

Then
there came news of Ming Pao replacing its Chief Editor Kevin Lau with a more
docile counterpart from Malaysia, apparently under some kind of political
pressure. [This seems to foreshadow Lau’s unfortunate tragedy and the two
incidents might be linked by a common motive. As for speculation on the motive
behind the vicious attack, please refer to Asia Sentinel’s story on the front
page.]

Then
we heard that a popular, sharp and inquisitive radio talk show host Lee Wai
Ling got abruptly fired from Commercial Radio at a time when the station’s
license is up for renewal.

These
three events were enough to create a sensitive perception within the Hong Kong
media that freedom of the press, as professional journalists understand it, is
teetering on the brink of collapse.

Some
time in between the above incidents, the Leung government, with either support
or order from the Central Government, chose obtusely to pander to the tourism
industry with promises to do anything that would please Mainland tourists
and/or shoppers and to obstinately refuse to control the number of
individual-scheme incoming tourists, despite thundering protests by the Hong
Kong public. The Mainland assumes the stance that it is doing Hong Kong’s
economy a big favor and thus Hong Kongers, instead of whining about congestion,
should really be thankful for such a benevolent act. In other words, Hong
Kongers should bend over backwards to welcome bigger and bigger hordes of
Mainland tourists even if the city is already bursting at the seams in terms of
capacity and their normal lives have been callously disrupted.

When
a spirited few tried to vent their anger over government’s dismissive attitude
by calling Mainlanders names (like “locusts”), it was considered a sacrilegious
sin and even troubled Mr. Chow from EOC to investigate whether racism is
involved (LOL!). Some people have obviously forgotten that Mainlanders were
equally capable of name-calling (like who called whom “dogs”?). So, what’s the
big deal? Why has this innocuous little incident incensed the Central
Government so much that its mouthpiece had to carry on with its tongue-lashing
for several days in a row? The key problem here seems to be that the Mainland
is getting more and more arrogant and condescending towards Hong Kong (because
China is now an economic superpower?), exhibiting a total lack of regard or
respect, and a deliberate misunderstanding, towards Hong Kongers’ feelings,
opinions and views.

Against
such a backdrop, news broke that the mild-mannered and respected media
professional Kevin Lau was viciously attacked in broad daylight with
life-threatening wounds. Any fair-minded person would be disgusted with such
pre-meditated atrocious crime. I, who have kept silent for a while, was enraged
to the point that I had to thrash out my anger on (I was going to say paper,
but then realized I would be posting the text in cyberspace) my blog. There is
no doubt in my mind that there is a “master” behind the perpetrators, whose
motive I would speculate is to gag Lau or to punish him or both. Even putting
aside the issue of press freedom and freedom of expression, this is a blatantly
barbaric act that can’t be tolerated in a civilized and law-abiding society
like Hong Kong (although it is inclining towards its northern neighbor). All
Hong Kongers should unite in sending this message across and in pressing the
Hong Kong Police to find and bring the real culprits to justice.

If
evidence does point to our freedom of expression and of the press being the
epicenter of the wicked crime, I would say to Hong Kongers: “Please don’t
pretend to be asleep any longer. It’s time to wake up voluntarily and defend
your own rights. No one else can do it for you.”

My
thoughts go out to Mr. Lau and his family members and I wish Mr. Lau a full and
speedy recovery.